Student Counseling and Personnel Services Commons^™

The Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of The Phoenix Alternative Program, Jason Dethor Laffitte

Dissertations

Many school districts throughout the United States utilize alternative schools for students who have not been successful in a traditional school setting. The Phoenix Program is a second chance alternative school in Mobile, Alabama that provides educational opportunities to students who are at risk of dropping out or school or under a long-term suspension from a regular school program.

This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of the effectiveness of the Phoenix Program on students who have been suspended from their assigned school for a long term. Participants in this study included 36 principals and assistant principals, 30 students, …

Factors Related To Nonacademic Adjustment Of Freshmen Students, Nykela Horne Jackson

Dissertations

Student retention remains a major concern of higher education institutions. With decreasing state funding, higher education institutions have implemented creative strategies and methods to recruit students. Once students are recruited it is critical that they be retained. Research has confirmed that student withdrawals can be attributed to the lack of successful transition and adjustment to the college environment. Numerous studies have focused on how demographic factors (socioeconomic status, race, employment, and parental education level) affect retention with the major focus on academic adjustment. Current research has shown that nonacademic adjustment (social adjustment, personal/emotional adjustment, and institutional attachment) plays a significant …

First-First Year Academically Underprepared Students' Judgments Of Their Perceived Academic Advising Needs And Preferences And Their Level Of Satisfaction And Intention To Persist At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Jennifer Lorean Ducksworth

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine which of the two dominant advising approaches, prescriptive (advisor focused) or developmental (relational focused), academically underprepared students preferred and to determine if this student population's advising relationships, experiences, and activities contribute to their level of satisfaction and their intent to persist at the participating university the following semester.

To read the full abstract of this dissertation, please click on "download" in the upper right-hand corner of this page.

The Relationship Between African American Students' Self-Beliefs And Beliefs About Teachers And Academic Outcomes And Disciplinary Referrals, James Matthew Thompson

Dissertations

This research study addressed a facet of the academic achievement gap regarding students' beliefs. The specific area that was examined is African American students' self-belief and beliefs about their teachers, while Caucasian students were used as a comparative group. The sample consisted of 34 African American and 65 Caucasian fifth-grade students from a southeastern public school district. The purpose of the study was to explore correlations between beliefs and African American students' academic outcomes. The theoretical foundations regarding beliefs, cultural context, and stereotype threat that were explored in this study addressed the variables located in Chapter III: Methodology. Additionally, these …

Students’ Attitudes, Motivation And Anxiety Towards English Language Learning, Meenaz Shams Hashwani

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

Motivational factors and experiences have the potential to influence students’ attitudes and anxiety levels towards English language learning. Recognizing the importance and multi-dimensional complexities of motivational attitudes and anxiety, this mini-research study attempts to investigate gender wise students’ attitudes, motivation and anxiety towards the learning of English as a second language in the multilingual context of Karachi, Pakistan. The study adapts a survey questionnaire from Gardner’s ‘Attitude Motivation Test Battery,’ to explore attitudes (English language and learning), motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic) and classroom anxiety of grade 8th students in a private secondary school. The survey findings of 77 students (40 …

Construct Validation Of The Interalized Racial Oppression Scale, Tamba-Kuii Masai Bailey

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

Racism has been identified as a profoundly traumatic and a psychologically damaging experience affecting Black people (Harrell, 2000; White & Parham, 1990; Williams & Williams-Morris, 2000). It has been theorized that one of the most devastating effects racial oppression (i.e. racism and discrimination) is the internalization of that oppression (Bailey, Chung, Williams, & Singh, 2006; Speight, 2007). Speight (2007) argued that an understanding of racism would be incomplete without considering how it is internalized. Internalized racial oppression is the process through which Black people consciously and unconsciously internalize and accept the dominant White culture’s oppressive actions and beliefs towards Black …

Different Measures, Different Informants, Same Outcomes? Investigating Multiple Perspectives Of Primary School Students' Mental Health., Katherine Dix, Helen Askell-Williams, Michael Lawson

Dr Katherine Dix

Attitudes Of University Students Toward Individuals With Exceptionalities And Inclusive Practices, Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor

Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experience Of African American Parents Of Middle School Boys At A Predominantly White Elite Private School, Debra Elaine Smith

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

ABSTRACT THE LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PARENTS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS AT A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE ELITE PRIVATE SCHOOL by Debra Elaine Smith Parental involvement has been associated positively with school success across ethnic groups (Hong & Ho, 2005). Yet, some African American parents were found to be more alienated from school than were White parents (Abrams & Gibbs, 2002). One of the most consistent findings in educational research is the underachievement of African American males (Lee, 2003), and a recent report chronicled the pervasive and systematic failure of public schools to educate African American males (Schott, 2008). In the …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Secondary School Counselors' Experiences Engaging In Group Work, Chinwe J. Uwah

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of a sample of secondary school counselors who facilitate groups. Specifically, 18 diverse secondary school counselors were interviewed regarding how they conceptualize, perceive, and experience group work. Three research questions guided this study: (a) What are the experiences of secondary school counselors who conduct groups?; (b) What are secondary school counselors’ attitudes and perceptions towards group work?; and (c) What do secondary school counselors perceive as barriers and /or challenges to engaging in group work? Data were collected in three phases: Phase One, an initial focus group informed Phase Two of the study, individual …

West African Immingrants' Attitude Toward Seeking Psychological Help, Damafing Keita Thomas

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

ABSTRACT WEST AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD SEEKING PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP Research is needed to better understand the impact of migration on West African immigrants’ mental health and their ability and willingness to seek traditional Western care. Therefore, the present quantitative study investigated the variance in attitudes toward seeking psychological help as predicted by degree of acculturation, severity of self-reported problems, and beliefs about the cause of mental health problems among West African immigrants in the U.S. The following research questions and hypothesis were addressed: What are the specific mental and physical health concerns of West African immigrants in the U.S.? Where …

The Role Of Coping Resources And Neuroticism In Predicting Female Aggression In Intimate Relationships., Dara N. Rampersad

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

One hundred and eighty six adult heterosexual females enrolled in colleges across the United States were sampled to determine the influence of personality and coping variables on female Intimate Partner Aggression (IPA). The research instruments administered included online versions of: the Revised-Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS-2; Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1996), which explored female Intimate Partner Psychological Aggression and Physical Assaultiveness; the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP; Goldberg, 1999), which measured the personality trait of Neuroticism; and the Coping Resources Inventory for Stress-Short Form (CRIS-SF; Matheny, Curlette, Aycock, Pugh, & Taylor, 2007), which assessed the coping resources of Tension Control …

The Special Needs Of Women On College Campuses, Jeremy M. Jenkins, Dewayne A. Neeley, Timothy D. Woodcock, Hao Yuan

The College Student Experience (CNS 572)

The authors embarked on a journey to understand the special needs of women college students. They discovered two major themes that were explored in greater depth in an attempt to explain why these themes were more specific to college women than other populations. Although these needs may be extrapolated to other populations of college students they were of particular concern to the female college student population. The authors began by selecting a non-scientific restricted pool of female college students than spanned first-year, second-year and junior or third-year students. This student sample was interviewed to discover their concerns or perceptions about …

Non Traditional Students: “Needs And Challenges”, Andrew S. Rash, Amanda J. Skinner, Dallas M. Cline, Kevin D. Blanch

The College Student Experience (CNS 572)

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Special Needs Of Minority Males, Crystal Hardeman, Candi Lee, Melody Mayes, Karla Perez-Velez

The College Student Experience (CNS 572)

No abstract provided.

The Needs Of Non-Minority Students, Joshua Moore, Stephanie Keene, Franeisha Jones, Timothy Gray

The College Student Experience (CNS 572)

No abstract provided.

College Students And Disabilities: How They Deal, Jovon Bell, Kendra Leveridge, Robin Rathje, Darlene Taylor

The College Student Experience (CNS 572)

No abstract provided.

Academic Achievement Amongst Minority Students, Jennifer Ballard, Lindsey Gilmore, Heather Keith, Bethany Ore

The College Student Experience (CNS 572)

No abstract provided.

Bystander Intervention: From Small Steps To Large, Charles G. Eberly

Charles G. Eberly

This short article was prepared for the 2008 National Hazing Prevention Week Resource Guide. The intent was to demonstrate to readers that even the smallest microaggressions have an impact on one's life, and resisting the temptations to tease a naive person for their lack of awareness or sensitivity is a good step on the way to confident bystander intervention when the consequences of hazing are far more damaging.

Deconstructing The Reflection In The Mirror:, Dr. Jill D. Duba, Aaron Kindsvatter, C J. Priddy

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

Women facing middle age and beyond are pressured by a cultural ideal of slimness. Literature pertaining to the factors affecting the societal perceptions of body image will be reviewed. Authors also will address relevant counseling interventions aimed at this population, specifically group therapy based in Narrative theory.

Bystander Intervention: From Small Steps To Large, Charles G. Eberly

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

This short article was prepared for the 2008 National Hazing Prevention Week Resource Guide. The intent was to demonstrate to readers that even the smallest microaggressions have an impact on one's life, and resisting the temptations to tease a naive person for their lack of awareness or sensitivity is a good step on the way to confident bystander intervention when the consequences of hazing are far more damaging.

Bystander Intervention: From Small Steps To Large, Charles Eberly

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

This short article was prepared for the 2008 National Hazing Prevention Week Resource Guide. The intent was to demonstrate to readers that even the smallest microaggressions have an impact on one's life, and resisting the temptations to tease a naive person for their lack of awareness or sensitivity is a good step on the way to confident bystander intervention when the consequences of hazing are far more damaging.

A Formative Evaluation Of A National Sorority's Recruitment Program In Its Inaugural Year, Colleen Elizabeth Coffey, Charles G. Eberly

Charles G. Eberly

A formative evaluation of a national sorority's recruitment program was conducted to determine the effectiveness of selected program elements over the course of the first year's implementation. Primary objectives were to discover perceived needs among undergraduate members and chapters that were not met and to create program improvements based upon the respondent recommendations. A mixed method design employing a survey, the use of focus groups, and a review of available organizational recruitment data was utilized. Results indicated some participants understood and benefitted from the recruitment program, while others felt pressure to recruit, and still others appeared unaware of the program's …

Couple Therapy With Religious Couples, Dr. Jill D. Duba, Dr. Richard E. Watts

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

Although 95% of married couples identify with a particular religion, there is great variation in how couples rely on their religion to define or structure their relationship. Various denominations will imply particular “rules” or will shape how the couple deals with interpersonal and family challenges, such as sexuality, parenting, and power. In this article, we review couple relationships within a religious context and advance several treatment principles for treating religious couples. We present a clinical case to illustrate marital therapy with a religious couple, with an Adlerian context.

The Role Of Teachers In School Safety, Leslie Lee Brown

Dissertations

This study examined teachers' perceptions of their abilities to effectively respond to crises on their school campuses. Teachers were surveyed in numerous southeastern states in contrasting demographic areas. Much of the literature addressed acts of violence, natural disasters, and threats of terrorism in schools. Past literature designates urban areas as places where violence has been a more prevalent element of everyday life. Current evidence shows that school shootings and natural disasters can occur anywhere. This shows that planning, practicing, and preparing for crises events are imperative no matter the demographic area in which a school is located. However, there is …

A Formative Evaluation Of A National Sorority's Recruitment Program In Its Inaugural Year, Colleen Coffey, Charles Eberly

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

A formative evaluation of a national sorority's recruitment program was conducted to determine the effectiveness of selected program elements over the course of the first year's implementation. Primary objectives were to discover perceived needs among undergraduate members and chapters that were not met and to create program improvements based upon the respondent recommendations. A mixed method design employing a survey, the use of focus groups, and a review of available organizational recruitment data was utilized. Results indicated some participants understood and benefitted from the recruitment program, while others felt pressure to recruit, and still others appeared unaware of the program's …

A Formative Evaluation Of A National Sorority's Recruitment Program In Its Inaugural Year, Colleen Elizabeth Coffey, Charles G. Eberly

Faculty Research & Creative Activity

A formative evaluation of a national sorority's recruitment program was conducted to determine the effectiveness of selected program elements over the course of the first year's implementation. Primary objectives were to discover perceived needs among undergraduate members and chapters that were not met and to create program improvements based upon the respondent recommendations. A mixed method design employing a survey, the use of focus groups, and a review of available organizational recruitment data was utilized. Results indicated some participants understood and benefitted from the recruitment program, while others felt pressure to recruit, and still others appeared unaware of the program's …

Assessing The Efficacy Of The Talent Search Program, Martha Jane Sales

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study assessed the efficacy of one TRIO program, Talent Search. This study compared the postsecondary enrollment of Talent Search participants and non participants. The comparison was conducted on a sample of 284 low-income college ready seniors from three south central Kentucky high schools. Results indicated that low-income students participating in the Talent Search program did enroll at a significantly higher rate than non-participants. This study also examined if the length of time students participated in the Talent Search program was significantly related to postsecondary enrollment. Results indicated no significant correlations. Additionally, this study examined if a relationship in …

Language And Graffiti Of Exceptional Individuals In West Africa, Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor

Dr Williams Emeka Obiozor

This paper establishes the place of language and graffiti practiced by exceptional individuals in the interpretation of family values, the preservation of culture and traditional heritage of the Igbo community in Southeastern Nigeria. The paper also takes a cursory look at graffiti art and exceptionality in a time when the Igbo tradition and culture were highly respected, jealously guarded and deep-rooted in the heart and soul of its people. Graffiti creations by exceptional individuals transfer both oral and visual education to documented tradition; for societal knowledge and awareness, individual wisdom, expressions against repression, pride and recognition of Igbo language and …

College Males: Keeping Them Engaged On Your Campus, Jason A. Laker

Faculty Publications

There has been much discussion in the popular media over the last few years to the effect that there is a “crisis” with regard to men in higher education. There have been several angles in these reports, including arguments suggesting that men are declining in student ranks, or that women are outpacing their male counterparts. In any case, these reports have asked questions about where the men are if not in college; and what will be the consequences of this problem in terms of the workforce, families, or the potential nature and future of higher education. One could easily be …